To ask if there are people on here who've never cooked a Christmas dinner before?

[FortunesFave]

And how old are you? I was really surprised when someone I know on FB posted that they were so sad not to be travelling to their parents with their family this year and that she's never cooked a Christmas dinner in her life.

She's 50!

Her parents are in their late 70s and early 80s!

Do these people not feel guilty or weird about going home like this every year?

I mean...going home is lovely...but surely you could muck in with the cooking if your parents are that elderly?

Me. Never cooked a full bird full stop. 39 x

A lot of people don’t particularly like ‘help’ in the kitchen at Christmas and this wouldn’t necessarily change just because they’re elderly.

Not here. Almost 40. Tried for the last few years. Mother said she’s not old and not prepared to give it up yet as she enjoys it. Same with MIL. Who am I to argue.

I'm 60. Never cooked a Xmas dinner.

Me, 41. Never cooked any kind of roast. I was just musing this morning that if DH were to go down ill in the next couple of days I would be frantically googling all kinds of things to try and get it all right.

I have no idea how long each element of it takes and how to work out a cooking timetable. But I would manage some semblance of it.

I'm 27 and haven't done one. Don't even really cook roasts to be honest.

Me! 36. My dad bans everyone from the kitchen and when DD is at her dad’s for Christmas I just graze.

I don't think I would have yet if my DM was still alive. As it is I've been doing so since my late 30s

Yep! 38 here! DM and MIL fight over who’s turn it is to cook it every year. I’d actually love to cook one and host but they are booth weirdly set in their ways

I’m late thirties too and would say I have ‘never cooked Christmas dinner’ as we always go to my parents. But what I mean is I’ve not done it alone. Of course I muck in when I visit! But I have never been solely responsible and my dad is usually in charge of the turkey. Actually, turkey alone I would be fine with but have never quite got the hang of making gravy. We just have bisto at home.

Here waves.

I've made a Christmas dinner of sorts for friends - chicken rather than turkey, not allllll the trimmings.

Always been to relatives with bigger houses and bigger kitchens for the day itself.

I cooked my first Christmas dinner last year at the age of 39. It was quite nice but I don't like cooking or Christmas so it's not exactly been a top priority before now!

I’m 35 and never done one before

But I have cooked a roast every Sunday for most winters so it’s not exactly a daunting task

Can’t decide if it’s worth it for us 4 or if we should just get a takeaway pizza on the day (which the children would prefer anyway)

I'm 31 and I've never cooked one completely solo. I probably (?) could but it would be terrifying

Something that large is best done as a team effort anyway IMO.

Mid 30s here and never cooked a full one. I am in charge of the side dishes when I go back home (excluding roast potatoes).

When we have hosted, I just buy the ready-made EVERYTHING from M&S. Which we are doing again this year and which I don't think counts.

I love cooking but making a full Christmas meal from scratch feels like too much hard work and there are other things I would rather be doing.

I'm in my thirties and never have.

Of course I help wherever we are, chop veg etc, but never been responsible for all the timings.

I'm sure it wouldn't be beyond me.

This year we are at home, but I will be 39 weeks pregnant on Xmas day. So it's DHs domain

29 and never cooked one. I've helped with bits and bobs like peeling and making the starter etc but never actually fully cooked Christmas Dinner. I'm trying to remember whether I've ever actually cooked a roast dinner at all and I don't think I have 😂

I hate cooking, it stresses me out. I married a chef 👍

26. Never cooked one. Don't like it, don't want to eat it. I'm not Christian and neither is my husband so we don't celebrate the same way others do.

I'm 50 and I've never done it. The one time in my life when I had 10 people for Christmas dinner, I ordered pre-prepared food from Waitrose.

DSIS is 49 and has never cooked a roast dinner let alone a turkey roast for Christmas. Ive never eaten a hot meal at her house. She is quite happy to accept invitations to other people's houses.

33 here and this is my first year cooking Xmas dinner. We alternate between my parents and his for dinner as it’s usually just the two of us anyway. I always help my mum, DMIL won’t allow it (even after 10 years). I’m vegetarian also so never really felt the need. This year we have DSD for lunch and I’ve bought a turkey breast joint. I’ve worked out my timings and have it all ready and planned so despite not having done it before I think it’ll be fine. I also have a meat thermometer. 🤞🏻

53 here (eek) and never cooked one. I'm a dreadful cook, but fortunately am married to the most amazing man who has cooked Christmas lunch (and most other meals) since we married nearly 30 years ago. I appreciate I am incredibly lucky ... (and am very, very good at washing up!)

31 and never cooked it from start to finish. I help my mum (who’s Christmas dinner I would never be able to surpass, so why would I want to) and am normally in charge of cooking the party picks (for lunch/starter), Yorkshire puddings, mashed potatoes and stirring the gravy

I'm 37 and I've never done it but that's cos my Dh does all the cooking and he's great at it.

Me... 38. Parents always hosted and last few years DH has cooked Christmas Dinner.